Dark Born Series: Act III: Welcome to the Baratie
by Rasaxe
Summary: The crew has left Syrup village and is now headed out for adventures, but... they realize that they need another member before the Grand Line. Rewrite story of One Piece with an OC. Enjoy. Hiatius
1. Chapter 1

It was a sunny day. The Straw Hat pirates were enjoying the life on their new ship, the Going Merry. The captain Luffy sat on the ships figurehead with the biggest smile anyone could have, while the ships swordsman Zoro laid in the crow's nest and took a nap. The resident thief Nami sat inside the girls bedroom and looked maps over, while the crew member Nick sat in the ship's galley* with the newest member.

"So you don't know what this power is?" asked Usopp after receiving an explanation about what he did against Kuro's pirates.

"Right. It's just something I have been able to do for the last 10 years" answered Nick almost nonchalant.

"To me you almost sound like a demon" said Usopp.

"Maybe I am one" said Nick with a smirk.

They looked at each other a little while and went "Naahh" before laughing. Nick then went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of rum.

"Well, I need a drink. Do you want some or are you gonna give up after first bottle like last time?" asked Nick with a smirk.

"I didn't give up. I just got a stomach ache and had to withdraw" defended Usopp.

Nick gave a small laugh in response and pulled the cork off the bottle. Suddenly a thump could be heard out from deck and Usopp went to the door. When he opened the door stood Zoro outside and asked "Booze?"

"What kind of hearing do you have!?" asked Usopp before letting him in. Nick had taken out two glasses and was pouring rum in them. He then threw the bottle to Zoro, who easily caught it and took a big swig. Scrambling buckets could then be heard and Usopp looked out on deck and said "Luffy? What are you doing?"

Usopp walked out of the galley and Zoro followed suit. Nick grabbed the two glass and walked out of the galley. Outside stood Luffy, covered in paint and proudly presented a flag. Nick joined Usopp, Zoro and Nami as they looked at the flag. He handed one of the glasses to Nami and took a swig of his glass.

"What's this?" asked Nick and Luffy said "Our flag!"

It… it was bad. It looked like a child had thrown paint on the flag and somehow had made it resemble a skull with something that looked like a hat on.

"To call him artistically challenged is an understatement" said Usopp with his mouth agape.

"Maybe… it is some kind of abstract form…" said Nami clearly thinking about it as she sipped the rum.

Zoro looked at the flag, then gulped down the rest of the bottle and looked at the flag again.

"I'm not drunk enough to call that good" said Zoro.

Nick looked at the flag and said "Somehow have I a need to laugh and cry at the same time"

"What do you think?" asked Luffy with a grin.

"Bad" said Zoro.

"Beyond bad" said Nami.

"Terrible" said Nick.

"Beyond terrible. Let me do it" said Usopp as he took the paint brush away from Luffy.

While Nick and Nami comforted Luffy, who sat depressed in the corner of the deck because Usopp took his paint brush, began Usopp to paint on a new flag. After some time were he done and ready to present it. Luffy, Zoro, Nick and Nami stood in a row and were ready to see the flag. When Usopp presented it… received he a jab to the back of his head by Luffy and Zoro.

"That's your symbol" said both of them and Nick and Nami just sweat dropped.

After some time of painting had Usopp made the right flag and presented it. It was a typical pirate flag with a straw hat on.

"Amazing!" said Nami when she saw the flag.

"The difference between them is like night and day" said Zoro when he compared it with Luffy's.

"Great job" said Nick.

"Great!" said Luffy. "Now we need the to paint the sail to"

"Well you know…" started Usopp. "I am actually a master artist and when I was 5 I made a doodle and it was seen by a famous art critic. He offered a 100.000.000 for it and I—"

"Yosh! Let's paint that sail!" ordered Luffy and the rest began to do so. Usopp sat in the corner of the deck in a depression and mumbled something about ignoring him for a while before running up to help when he saw Luffy beginning to paint.

* * *

A couple of hours later were the sail painted with the same skull as the flag. Spread across the deck of the ship laid Usopp, Nami and Nick in a state of fatigue with paint covering their bodies. Laying up the mast was Zoro and he said "That… was tough"

"Yeah… a whole sail aren't a joke" said Usopp.

"Agreed. If it weren't for Nick's **Gauntlets** then it would have taken forever" said Nami.

"Thanks" thanked Nick with a smile.

All of them then was about to fall asleep when cannon fire could be heard. Nick sat up and looked around. At the bow of the ship stood Luffy next to a cannon.

"What are you doing?" asked Nick, a bit confused on how Luffy figured out to use the cannon.

"Practicing. We have this cannon, why not learn how to use it? But I just can't seem to aim it correctly" answered Luffy.

"Move aside, my amateur friend" said Usopp as he walked up to Luffy and the cannon.

Nick looked on as Usopp tried to aim the thing before going into the galley together with Nami and Zoro. In there, Nick began to prepare some coffee and tea and a bit of snack for everyone. He had only heard the cannon being fired once, so he worried if they had blown themselves up but that quickly ended when Luffy and Usopp came running into the galley with big smiles on their faces.

"Zoro! Nick! You should have seen it!" shouted Luffy.

"Seen what?" asked Zoro, a bit groggy since he had just woken up from a nap up the wall.

"Usopp hit this rock in his first try!" yelled Luffy louder.

"Of course I did! Because I am the mightiest of sharpshooters, Usopp!" said Usopp proudly.

"I have decided" started Luffy. "You are this crew's sniper from now on"

"Very well, but if you chicken out as captain of this ship, I will take that position" said Usopp.

Luffy just said "Ok" and nodded.

After receiving tea and snacks fell the room to small talk. It continued a while before Luffy said "I just thought of something"

"That's new" said Zoro with a grin but Luffy were oblivious and continued.

"There is still one position on our crew we need to fill before we take to the Grand Line"

"Your right. If we have to survive long voyages then we do need another member" said Zoro by the wall.

"Plus, this galley has an amazing kitchen. It would be a shame if there weren't anyone to use it probably" said Nami with a smile.

"I could do it but we would be better off by getting a professional to do it" said Nick as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah, what we need is… a musician!" said Luffy proudly.

The rest of them just looked at him blankly a while and shouted "What!"

"Are you born stupid!" yelled Zoro.

"And here I thought you would say something smart!" shouted Nami.

"What do you actually know about sailing the sea!?" yelled Usopp.

"But… musician" said Luffy.

Nick was quiet a while before putting down his coffee, walking up to Luffy, grabbing his head and smashing it into the table.

"There, this should be able to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours" said Nick as he walked back to his coffee.

Luffy took to his head and shouted "That fucking hurt! Nick why the hell did you do that"

"I am more interested in how. Luffy's body is made of rubber, so how did you hurt him like that?" asked Usopp and Nick answered "No idea"

"Get your asses out here, you inbreed bastards! I am going to slaughter each and every one of you!" came suddenly out from deck and the entire crew turned to look at the door.

"What was that?" asked Nami.

"We're under attack! Abandon ship, children and long-noses first!" panicked Usopp before receiving a wake up knock from Zoro.

"Hey Nick" said Luffy.

"Yeah" said Nick.

"Do you think we are under attack?"

"Yeah"

"Then it means 'that'" said Luffy.

"Yeah" said Nick as a smirk crept on his face.

Luffy and Nick turned towards each other and a fighting pressure could be felt in the whole galley. Nami looked on as the two of them got prepared to strike and she shouted "Wait! Don't fight no—"

"Raaaa!" roared both of them and they struck out as they roared "Rock! Paper! Scissor!"

The entire room was quiet as the two combatants looked at the result. Luffy had chosen paper and Nick… chose scissor! Luffy looked at Nick's hand in disbelief before walking back to the table and sit down while pouting.

"What the hell was that?!" asked Nami still not believing what just happened.

"Whenever we are under attack we have to play Rock Paper Scissor to decide who takes out the attackers and I lost" answered Luffy still pouting.

"Then how come Nick is walking towards the door?" asked Usopp.

"He won. He gets to kick the guys' ass"

"It's that kind of game!" shouted Usopp and Nami.

"Oy Luffy! How come I didn't hear anything about this!?" asked Zoro and that was the last Nick heard before he walked out on deck and closed the door to the galley. Nick looked out on deck and saw an average sized man with tanned skin and short black hair, smashing some barrels. In his hand held he a sword so Nick came to the conclusion that he was a swordsman.

"Hey!" called Nick out and the man looked at him. Nick could then see that the guy wore sunglasses and had a tattoo on his left cheek saying 海. The guy then began to charge Nick and swung the sword. The railing in front of the galley door got cut off. Nick had jumped into the air to avoid getting his feet cut and landed behind the guy and turned his head.

"Why are you attacking us?" asked Nick as he glanced at the stranger.

"You damn pirates… we are known to have taken down several infamous men but you guys…"

"_We?_" thought Nick as he turned his entire body towards the guy.

"…managed to kill my partner!" roared the stranger as he charged Nick once again. He held his blade high and swung down. **Slash!** The blade fell but Nick dodged it by a hair and countered with a well-placed kick to the guy's gut. The guy flew into a wall and then fell to the ground.

"So strong…" said the guy as he spit up blood and fell unconscious. Out of the galley's door walked Zoro out grumbling something about idiot captain.

"Oi, Nick. Have you taken out the attackers?" asked Zoro and Nick nodded. Zoro then looked down and saw the attacker. He looked at the attacker a while before saying "Johnny?"

* * *

**Hi everyone.**

**The Dark Born series is back. I hold a hiatus to improve my writing and try out some story ideas I had. To all who are following this series (which I believe is few) welcome back and I hope you look forward to the future adventures with Nick and the Straw Hats. To all new readers, welcome to this story. I recommend that you read "Enter the Dark Born" and the earlier parts of this series. Also, I hope you have enjoyed reading this and you will follow future parts.**

**I hope you enjoy this series and have a good day/night.**

**The * section**

**The Galley of a ship is basically the kitchen but in Merry's case is it also the dining area.**


	2. Chapter 2

It was blurry. When Johnny woke up could he barely see at all. He could see the figures of four people standing over him. He then remembered where he was and quickly got up and swung his sword around. The figures reacted differently from one another. One looked like he didn't understood what was happening. Another began to run away like a coward and the third screamed loudly. The fourth got ready to attack and Johnny got ready to take him on when someone shouted "Knock it off, Johnny!"

Johnny couldn't believe his ears. He turned around and saw a fifth figure. The haze lifted and he could clearly see again.

"B-big bro Zoro?" said Johnny unbelieving of who he saw.

"Seems like he is back to his senses" said the person behind him and he looked back. It was the guy who kicked him. Then he weren't dreaming. Roronoa Zoro was aboard a pirate ship.

"What are you doing here, big bro Zoro!?" asked Johnny before saying "No matter! Yosaku—"

Zoro pointed behind him and Johnny turned around. Laid out on the deck were Yosaku, spitting up blood and holding a hand over his bleeding stomach. Johnny went to his side and got on his knees.

* * *

Nick looked on as Johnny got on his knees next to the one called Yosaku, who they had found in a boat next to the ship.

"Was it from a battle?" asked Nick.

"No. Yosaku is sick" said Johnny as tears rolled

"Sick?" said Zoro.

"Yeah… he were fine a couple of days of days ago but then he collapsed! His teeth have begun to fall out, and his old wounds have re-opened…! I didn't know what to do so I chose to let him rest on top of a rock but… then this ship fired open us!"

When Johnny said that, Luffy and Usopp's mouths went wide. They then bowed and said "W-We're truly sorry…"

"It is done. It not like it mattered anyway, because it seems like he won't make it either way…" said Johnny as he were tearing up.

Usopp and Luffy were also beginning tearing up and Zoro looked at Yosaku with concern.

"Oh come on! How dense can you be!" yelled Nami.

Johnny turned to Nami with a dark glare and said "What did you say…"

He grabbed his sword and charged Nami with the blade held high. He swung but the sword never fell. Johnny looked at his hand and was baffled. His sword weren't there. Nami were just as confused until she looked behind him. Standing by the railing stood Nick admiring Johnny's sword and said "Listen to the little lady. She actually means well" before handing the sword back to Johnny.

Johnny just looked at Nick as he took his sword back. When did Nick grab his sword?

Nami snapped back to reality and continued. "Luffy, Usopp. Go to the kitchen and get all the oranges and squeeze all the juice out of them. Then bring the juice here"

"R-Roger!" said Luffy and Usopp as they ran to the galley.

"Oranges…?" said Zoro.

Nick just smiled before joining Luffy and Usopp in the kitchen. After 10 minutes came they back out on deck with a bucket full of juice.

"We got the juice!" shouted Luffy.

"Good! Then make him drink it!" said Nami and Usopp and Luffy forced Yosaku to chug the whole bucket.

"What are you doing?" asked Johnny as he and Zoro looked on wondering.

"Fighting scurvy" answered Nami.

Zoro and Johnny then looked at Nami as she said "He is afflicted with scurvy. If we aren't too late then he should be just fine in a couple of days"

"Is that the truth!?" asked Johnny, not completely believing her.

"Believe her" came from Nick. He walked the stairs and sat down.

"How many vegetables and fruit have you guys eaten on you journey?" asked Nami

"None, we have eaten only meat, cause that's food for men!" answered Johnny and Luffy said "Hear, hear!"

"Idiots! Of course you get scurvy like that!" said Nami as she knocked some sense into the two of them.

"The reason behind scurvy is because of a low intake of C-vitamins, which is needed to for the synthesis of collagen in humans" said Nick from the stairs.

"Wow, you guys are like doctors!" said Luffy in awe.

"I knew that they were something special from the moment I saw them!" lied Usopp.

"It's you guys are idiots! If you are going sailing, you should at least know about scurvy! Next you'll say you don't know the difference between starboard and port!" roared Nami.

"What's that?" asked Luffy.

Before Nami could 'knock some sense' into Luffy, Yosaku jumped up and declared "I am fully charged!"

"Haha, my partner has recovered!" shouted Johnny.

"Like **hell** he could recover so fast!" roared Nami.

"Sorry about the late introductions. I am Johnny"

"And I'm Yosaku. We used to hunt bounties together with Zoro in the past. I have to thank all of you for saving me. I was sure I bite the dust"

"But who would have thought that 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro would become a pirate himself. The world sure is a funny place" said Johnny

"I couldn't agree more" said Nick. "I wouldn't had believed myself if I said I would become a pirate a year ago"

"Why wouldn't you?" asked Yosaku.

"Well, I used to be kind of a bounty hunter in the past" answered Nick "I were even given a nickname in my village"

"What's that?" asked Johnny."

"T-The Dark Born" said Nick, not knowing how they would react.

Johnny and Yosaku just looked at him blankly before bursting out laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Luffy.

"The Dark Born. Please, he is a myth" said Johnny, not convinced.

"Yeah, a being able to obliterate a 10.000.000+ bounty pirate in 2 minutes is impossible. A dark monster straight out of a storybook" said Yosaku.

As they told of different things Nick is said to do like making people dissolve with a glance or slaughtering all the marines who tried to interfere, Usopp and Nami noticed Nick weren't doing so well and walked up to him. Nick looked like he was about to break down. Tears fell slowly as Nick curled up, holding his arms around his legs.

"Hey… are you ok?" asked Nami concerned.

"I'm fine. It's just… I have a hard time believing that my existence is seen as nothing more than a myth. And listen to what they are saying. Nothing but bad myths" said Nick as a tear rolled down his face.

"And? It's not like we have a reputation yet and we are pirates. A bad reputation is like windy breeze for us" reassured Usopp.

"Plus…" said Zoro as he walked towards them "…you will gain a far darker reputation in the future when the world finds out you are real"

Nick looked up and smiled before he wiped the tears away. Suddenly Luffy came jumping and asked exited "Nick! Is it true you can destroy an entire armada with a swing of your hand!?"

Nick looked at him blankly before saying "What kind of crap are those guys telling you?"

The group of five burst into laughter and began talking about the different myths around Nick. Johnny and Yosaku looked on with a smile.

"He might not be the real thing but they seem to find fun in it" said Johnny.

"Yeah, it is a good thing that the Dark Born isn't real. Like, can you imagine what kind of demon that would be?" asked Yosaku and they began to discuss what 'the Dark Born' would look like.

* * *

The crew had talked about the myths a long time now and Nick said "Now, there is something we need to discuss"

"What?" asked Luffy.

"What we do against scurvy. If we don't get someone to regulate our meals and make sure we always have food supplies onboard, we will die"

Usopp then said "You are right. We need someone to make sure we stay healthy on long voyages. What we need is a 'chef of the sea'"

"Then let's go find a sea chef. Getting good food is never a bad idea" said Luffy with his tongue out and a giant smile on his face.

"Big bro!" said Johnny with a hand raised.

"What is it?" asked Zoro.

"I know the perfect place to find a cook. Of course, getting one to join is a different matter" said Johnny. He told them about the place.

"A restaurant on the sea!" said all of them in amazement.

"Yeah, it is just a couple of days away from here. But the place is close to the Grand Line so we have to be careful. A lot of dangerous guys around there" said before turning to Zoro and said "Even that 'Hawk Eye' you are searching for has been seen there once before"

Zoro tensed a bit up and began to sweat a little. Nick noticed this, but didn't dig into it.

* * *

A couple of days went by and nothing really happened. Nick was drinking tea in the galley with Nami and thought about when they would get there, when he heard Johnny yell "Big bro Zoro! Big bro Luffy! Big bro Nick! Big bro Usopp! Big bro Nami!"

"We are at the reasturant!" yelled Yosaku.

"Why am I big 'bro'?" asked Nami annoyed and Nick just shrugged. They then joined the rest of the gang at the bow and were amazed. The restaurant was ship with a 3 story building on it. Its rudder resembled a fish's tail-fin and it had a head piece that resembled a fish head, making the entire ship look like a giant fish.

"Welcome to the Baratie!" announced Johnny.

"What a huge fish!" shouted Luffy in awe.

"Kind of funky" said Nick as he looked on. He then noticed something coming from behind Merry and looked back. It was a small Marine ship sailing up next to Merry. It attracted the attention of the rest of the guys to.

"W-What are they doing here?" asked Usopp.

A man then came out on the ship's deck. He had light purple hair and wore a white pinstripe suit. He had a scar under his right and an iron knuckle.

"I am Marine lieutenant of the Marine Headquarter, 'Iron Knuckle' Fullbody. Who are the captain of this ship?" he asked and Luffy stepped forward.

"I am Luffy. I made that this flag the day before yesterday"

"Sounds like a bad joke if you ask me" said Johnny and Yosaku laughed.

"And I am Usopp" said Usopp like it meant something.

Fullbody looked on the people on board and took noticed to Johnny and Yosaku.

"Aren't you two those small time bounty hunters that sometimes get in the government's business?" asked Fullbody.

"Hey Yosaku. I believe this bro is asking for a beating" said Johnny.

"I believe so too" said Yosaku before the two of then leapt at Fullbody.

**Pow!** 10 seconds later laid Johnny and Yosaku out on the deck of Merry, beaten to a pulp.

"Almost got him…" said the two of them.

"Are you sure you aren't super weak?" asked Luffy as he stood over them.

"No, it just that guy aren't too shabby himself" excused Yosaku.

Fullbody were just about to commence the attack when a pair of arms a woman grabbed a hold of his arm.

"Darling, enough beating up weaklings. I want try out the restaurant" said the woman.

"Fine" said Fullbody before turning towards Luffy and co. "You are lucky that I have the day off today or I would blown you to smithereens"

Nami glared at Fullbody till she noticed a piece of paper lying on the deck next to Johnny. She crouched down and grabbed it.

"Something wrong Nami-sis?" asked Johnny, still beaten to a pulp.

"What is this?" asked Nami as she looked at the paper.

"It's a bounty poster of the highest bounty in East Blue" told Johnny as Nami crumpled the poster slightly while staring intently at it.

"GUYS! THAT FUCKER TURNED A CANNON ON US!" screamed Usopp and Nami snapped back to reality.

On the Marine vessel readied they a cannon and Fullbody gave the order "Sink them" nonchalant.

"Sir Yes Sir" said the marine before he fired the cannon.

"He fired!" said Nami.

Zoro and Nick got ready to deflect the cannonball when Luffy ran past them and jumped up on the railing.

"Luffy? What are you doing?" asked Nick.

"Leave it to me!" said Luffy as he heaved in air.

"**Gum Gum… Balloon!**" he yelled as he inflated and took the ball to the stomach.

"THE HELL!?" shouted Johnny, Yosaku and Usopp in surprise. On the other ship stood Fullbody just as shocked.

"Take your damn ball back!" roared Luffy as he bounced it back.

The cannonball flew fast and hit the roof of the restaurant, causing an explosion to occur.

"Where are you aiming!?" yelled both Zoro and Nick with a sweat-drop. Hell, even Merry sweat-dropped.

Luffy deflated and slowly fell backwards, tears forming in the corner of his eyes. Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku just stood and looked where the ball hit. Nami just facepalmed as she muttered "Idiot…"

* * *

**Hi everyone**

**Most of this chapter was written a couple of months ago, so it has been looked over several times before you got to read it. I realized that Nick got a lot of the attention in the last parts of this series and I only concentrated on his part of the story. I have decided to divert my attention to all the Straw Hats and so from now on can you follow all of them like they are in the manga, with a few twists of course.**

**I hope you look forward to the development of Nick, who is my own OC and I hope I actually can make him a character half as memorable as one of the Straw Hats that you look forward to read more about and find out what the hell he actually is.**

**As always, if you have a question then send me a PM or if you are a guest then send me a review and I will note it down and make sure it never go public, if that is your wish.**


	3. Chapter 3

Some time went past since Luffy sent that cannonball into the Baratie and he was dragged off by some seriously pissed cooks. Meanwhile sat the rest of the crew at a table in the restaurant, waiting for their captain.

"I-D-iot…" said Nick as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Agreed" said Nami.

"Ditto" came from Usopp.

Zoro looked around when he stopped turning his head and pointed towards the middle of the room.

"Hey, isn't that marine bastard from before?" asked Zoro and the others looked to where he was pointing.

Zoro was right. At a table in the middle of the room sat Fullbody together with a blonde woman. They were served wine by a blond man in a suit who smoked a cigarette and with a swirly eyebrow. At the tables around them was people talking and whispering about the Marine Lieutenant.

"You sure attract attention" said the woman.

"They are probably looking at you" said Fullbody as they toasted.

Fullbody took a sip of his wine and said "This mild aroma. The sourer yet sugar sweet aftertaste. The dry taste of this wine. It must be an Itelzburger Stein"

Most people looked in awe at the Lieutenant and as the man from before approached the table asked a costumer "Is he right waiter!?"

"Not even close sir" said the blond man while he had a plate of soup in one hand and one on his head "And I am not a waiter but the Assistant Head Chef of this establishment. The waiters ran away yesterday"

The man put the plates in front of the two of them and said "Here is your soup. Enjoy it while it is hot"

Around them were all the costumers trying to contain their laughter and Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Nick were snickering. Embarrassed, sat Fullbody there with red cheeks.

"You know a lot about wines" said the woman and Fullbody snapped back to reality.

"Yeah but it seems my tongue is off today" he said while thinking "_What the hell. I asked the owner to specifically bring me that wine_"

* * *

Meanwhile in the room above the dining area

"Owner! Are you alright!?" asked a cook worried.

"DO I **LOOK** ALRIGHT!? I GOT BLASTED WITH A CANNONBALL! Anyway, you whippersnappers better get back to work at once!" roared a one legged chef with a very tall hat and a braided mustache. He bleed from his forehead and was bruised all over.

"But… owner Zeff…" said another cook.

"Enough talk! Get to work at once!" he barked "It is a cook's duty to stuff the faces of their customers! Are you trying to ruin my business you numbskulls!?"

The two cooks left the room and two others entered dragging Luffy.

"This is the perp" said one of the chefs and Luffy said apologetic "I am SO sorry"

Luffy then took a look at Zeff's wooden leg and screamed "AAAAAH! You lost your leg because of me!"

* * *

Back in the restaurant

Fullbody quietly ate his soup when he saw a bug walk beside his hand. He then got an evil smirk on his face and grabbed the insect.

"Oh waiter!" called Fullbody and the blond man from earlier walked up to them.

"I already told you, I am not a waiter" said the man before he turned his attention to the woman. "My, my, who do we have here?"

The woman looked at him and answered "Moodie"

"Well Moodie. My name is Sanji. How about you and I enjoy a glass of wine over there? We have an excellent selection"

"Well…" said Moodie intrigued before Fullbody interrupted.

"Ahem! Is it a normal ingredient to put insects in the soup?" asked Fullbody.

"Insects…?" said Sanji puzzled as he looked at the soup. In the soup was a bug splashing around.

"Well… what's this damn bug in my soup!?" yelled Fullbody getting the attention of everyone including Nick and the others.

"Ah…" said Sanji with a smile. "Pardon me sir… but I have to say that I do not know. You see… I am not very knowledgeable on insects"

It was too much. Everyone in the restaurant broke into laughter or failed to hold it back. Usopp laughed loudly, Nami banged her hands against the table, Zoro almost fell off his chair and Nick covered his mouth to try to stop laughing but… it seemed to be too much for Fullbody in a different way.

**SMASH…!**

Fullbody had bashed his iron-knuckle into the table, destroying both the table and the plates.

"Do you know who you are dealing with?" asked Fullbody with a voice filled with rage and spite.

All the customers looked at looked at Fullbody with fear in their eyes as the pressure of this strong man filled the entire room. Only Zoro and Nick weren't affected by said pressure and were curios on how the cook would react. Sanji just stood there with shadows covering his one visible eye and looked down on the broken plate where the bug now was crushed. He then turned his attention towards Fullbody and asked…

"Couldn't you have eaten the soup if I removed the bug?"

"What…?" said Fullbody, not believing what he just heard. "I am a paying customer! Why should I pay for this dog piss!?"

"Fullbody! Please, just forgive him!" shouted Moodie, trying to calm him down.

"Dog piss…" said Sanji, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

"Hurry! We have to stop Assistant Head Chef Sanji" shouted a cook but too late as Fullbody leapt at Sanji.

30 seconds later was the songs of war already sung. Everyone looked at what had happen in disbelief and shock. Moodie had covered her mouth with both her hands and her pupils were pale. At the Straw Hats table was there a different reaction from each member. Nami was in a similar state as Moodie. Usopp's eyes were completely white and his mouth was wide open. Zoro looked at the scene and just said "Tch". Nick was lightly surprised, since he had expected it to go on for a little longer.

Standing holding up his opponent up by the chin was Sanji, not even scratched. Fullbody was covered by his own blood and were missing a couple of teeths. His eyes were pale and he gasped for air.

"Hey…" started Sanji with dark eyes. "Even if it was dog piss, be grateful for it. Here out on sea should we show gratitude for even a drop of water or a slice of bread. Even if the water is filled with dirt and the bread moldy, show gratitude… it might be your last meal"

* * *

Back with Luffy and Zeff

Luffy had been explained by Zeff that he didn't lose his leg because of Luffy.

"Phew… I was scared for a moment" said Luffy as he wiped the sweat away from his forehead.

"Hey I am still wounded pretty badly because of you" said Zeff angrily. "So… you have no money to pay me with, huh?"

"That is right" told Luffy.

"Then you have to work it off. A year should suffice"

"A YEAR! NO WAY, ONLY A WEEK!" shouted Luffy disagreeing.

"What? You attack my restaurant with a cannon, injures me, the Head Chef and Owner of the place and think you can work it off in a week?" asked Zeff.

"I have waited 10 years to finally become a pirate. I can't take another year" said Luffy. "Yosh, it is settled. I work for a week and you will forgive me"

"WHO THE HELL MADE THIS YOUR DECISION!? HERE, TAKE THE HEAD CHEF'S KICK OF JUSTICE!" roared Zeff as he kicked Luffy in the neck with his wooden leg. "I'M THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHAT IS OK!"

"See… you are just fine" said Luffy as he laid on the other side of the room.

"SHUT UP!" barked Zeff. "There is actually something else you can do"

"What?" asked Luffy.

Zeff took out a saw and said "You can just leave your leg here" with a dark expression.

"Umm… isn't it obvious that I won't do that?" asked Luffy as he looked at Zeff like he was stupid. "Are you retarded or something old man?"

Zeff threw the saw on the floor and jumped high into the air while yelling "NO THIS! NO THAT! IN THIS WORLD CAN'T WE CHOOSE EVERYTHING THE WAY WE WANT TO, SO DON'T BELIEVE THAT CAN BECOME SOMETHING IN THIS WORLD BY SAYING NO TO EVERYTHING YOU DON'T LIKE!"

He then dropped on Luffy while yelling "HEAD CHEF'S DROP KICK!"

**CREAK!**

"Huh?" said Zeff before he and Luffy crashed through the floor.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Baratie's WC

An average sized man stood in front of one of the mirrors while picking a nose hair. His forearms were bigger than average and were pretty hairy. He has a grey buzz cut and a rope tied around his head.

"CUSTOMERS…" he began "…ARE KINGS! Service is Love and Love is this restaurant!"

He took a step back and said "Now… the foundation of great service is a perfect welcome"

Then he made a stupid face and said "Welcome you donkey faces poodle. Please, never come again. That will just be 10.000 on the rocks."

After a little while of making up insults, he left the bathroom and walked towards the dining area.

"Ah, what a great dump I had! It's gonna be a great day!"

When he entered the main room was he was shocked. "WHAT! A CUSTOMER IS BEING…!"

He then looked at the perpetrator and shouted "SANJI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW!?"

"Oh, it is just you crappy cook. Don't say my name so casually" said Sanji as he looked at the man. He then let go of Fullbody, who crawled towards the wall.

"A restaurant's duty is to feed the costumers, not beat them bloody" told the man.

"Well your precious 'customer' wasted food and insulted a cook" replied Sanji.

"Cough! Haa… how can a restaurant ill-treat their costumer exist?" said Fullbody and gained the attention of the two arguing cooks. "I will report this place to the Government and have it shut down!"

"Well then…" said Sanji. "…I will just have to kill you"

"W-What?" asked Fullbody before Sanji walked towards him. Before he reached Fullbody came three cooks and did everything in their power to hold him back.

"Let go of me! It makes me go berserk seeing a spoilt brat like him! Let me take him down!" roared Sanji and Fullbody just looked at the enraged cook and thought "_What is with him?_"

It was too much for Nick. He was just about to get up from his chair to help holding Sanji back when Luffy and an old man came crashing through the ceiling.

"What now!?" yelled a chef till he saw that the old man was Zeff.

"Goddamn it!" said Zeff before he looked up.

"Owner!? What are you doing!?" asked a cook but was ignored by Zeff who said "Damn, the ceiling of my beautiful restaurant have been ruined! This is your fault brat!"

"It was you who destroyed it!" barked Luffy.

Back at the Straw Hat's table looked everyone down on the table, thinking "_I don't know him…_"

"Head Chef! Help us get Sanji under control!" yelled one of the cooks who were holding Sanji back.

Zeff walked up to the restrained chef and asked "Sanji. Are you ruining my business again?"

"Shut up, you crappy geezer…" replied Sanji.

"That is right and guess what! The idiot is a Marine Lieutenant!" said the man with the hairy forearms.

"Thanks Patty. Now for you, you little shit…" said Zeff before he kicked Sanji in the face with his wooden leg. "…are you trying to ruin my restaurant!?"

Luffy looked over on Fullbody and said "Hey. It's that guy who fired the cannonball. Why is he bloody?"

Zeff then turned towards Fullbody and kicked him in the face to saying "And you! Get the hell out already!"

"_What the hell? Even the owner is violent!_" thought Fullbody "_What do they think customers are? Treasure chests? It is just like being on a pirate ship!_"

"Customers are Kings!" said Patty.

"_Are these guys…_"

"They are probably gods since they can take your shitty food" said Sanji.

"…_really cooks?_"

"Sanji! Patty! Fight in the kitchen!" ordered Zeff.

Suddenly the doors of the restaurant banged up and a Marine bleeding from his forehead stood there and screamed "Lieutenant! Lt. Fullbody!"

Fullbody looked at the Marine as he said "I am sorry sir but he escaped the ships cell!"

"What!" said Fullbody. "Krieg's underling has escaped!? That is impossible! He could barely move three days ago!"

"A member of Don Krieg's! His crew is said to be the strongest in East Blue!" screamed a woman.

"Forgiv—" said the Marine before…

**BANG!**

A pistol was fired, shooting the Marine through his back, penetrating his heart. As the Marine fell walked a man into the room with gun in hand. All the customers ran as fast as they could to the other side of the room, trying to get away.

"A new customer" said Patty nonchalant.

"He better not bring trouble!" said Zeff.

"A pirate?" asked Luffy while Sanji was quiet.

The Pirate walked right past Fullbody and went to a table. He had short black hair with a striped headband. He wore an open grey jacket with red sea-serpent design on both sides, a green under shirt and gray pants. As he sat down said he "Food… anything will do…"

Patty walked up to him, put on a dumb face and said "Welcome you donkey faces poodle"

"That cook is dead…" stated Fullbody.

The pirate looked at him and said "Just bring me some grub…"

"I am sorry to ask but do you have any money?" asked Patty.

"Do you take lead?" asked the pirate as he held the gun to Patty's forehead.

"Sorry, cash only"

**SMASH!**

Patty smashed his fists into the pirate with such force that the chair he sat on crashed.

"WHAT!" shouted Fullbody, not believing what he saw. All the customers looked in awe as Patty bashed the pirate.

"Wow, he is pretty strong" said Luffy.

The pirate got up on all four before his stomach began to crumble.

"You're hungry?" asked Patty.

"Nah… that was just a fart, you fucking bastard" responded he "Just give me a little grub…"

"No cash you get a bash! That is the rule of this restaurant!" shouted Patty as he began to kick the guy.

"You pirate scums should always have a bit of cash, but no… you had to poorer than a church mouse!"

The pirate collapsed and Patty then curtsied saying "And costumers, enjoy the rest of your meal" while the whole restaurant applauded him. A couple of cooks grabbed the pirate and dragged him away to the outer deck. In the commotion had Fullbody left the ship, not wanting anything with it anymore.

Zoro, Nick, Usopp and Nami had been the only ones who hadn't left their table since Nami and Usopp had been too scared move, Zoro didn't care and Nick just wanted to get a good look at what would happen.

"Well… that was boring" stated Zoro.

"Kinda… Well, who is ready to order?" asked Nick.

* * *

A little while later out on the outer deck laid the pirate alone with his stomach grumbling.

"_Damn…_" he thought. Suddenly were a plate filled with food and a glass of water put in front of him. He looked up to see Sanji, who let go of the plate and sat down next to the pirate.

"Eat" was all Sanji said.

The pirate looked at the dish and licked his lips. He grabbed the plate and sat up eating it, facing away from Sanji.

"I don't know what to say! This food… is a godsend! I thought… I thought I would die!" said the pirate, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Thank you…!"

"It's that good, right?" responded Sanji with a smile.

Up on the upper deck of the Baratie stood Luffy and looked down on them.

"Looks like I found my chef" said Luffy with a smile.


	4. Chapter 4

"You got some food! Hey you! Cook! Join my crew!" yelled Luffy from the upper part of the Baratie's deck.

Down on the lower deck sat Sanji and the pirate and said "Huh?"

A little while later had the pirate finished his meal and Luffy had jumped down to the lower deck.

"So, you are a pirate?" asked Sanji.

"Yep" replied Luffy with a smile.

"So why did you shoot a cannonball at the ship?"

"Oh, that was an accident. My self-defense was a little astray"

"What the hell does that supposed to mean?" asked Sanji with a sweat-drop. "Well anyway, don't try anything funny while you are here. The owner of this place used to cook on a pirate ship"

"The geezer used to be a pirate?" asked Luffy surprised.

"Yeah, this restaurant is like a treasure for him. Plus, all the cooks here are bad enough to be pirate themselves. It actually fits with all the pirates that visit these parts. Thanks to that ran all the waiters away"

"There you are" said a voice and all three of them looked over. Walking towards them was Nick with a toothpick in his mouth. "I have been looking all over for you, Luffy"

"Hi Nick" responded Luffy "Meet our new cook"

"Sorry but I have to refuse that offer. I got some reasons to work here myself" said Sanji.

"I refuse!" refused Luffy. Everyone just looked at him and asked "What?"

"I refuse your refusal" told Luffy.

"Luffy… You can't do that" told Nick with a sweat-drop.

"Yeah, at least hear me out" said Sanji with a sweat-drop.

"Fine, what's your explanation?"

"No need for you to know" said Sanji.

"But you just told me to hear you out!" shouted Luffy confused.

"All I am saying is you should hear other people's reasons before making your decision! You shitty straw hat!" yelled Sanji in response.

"Don't you dare insult my hat!" roared Luffy angrily.

"Sorry to cut in…" said the pirate.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" yelled the two of them and Nick sweat-dropped.

"My name is Gin. I am a member of Krieg's armada" told the pirate.

"Don Kreig, a fearsome pirate with 50 ships and 5000 men under him. With a bounty of 17.000.000 is he the second most recognized pirate in the East Blue" stated Nick matter-of-factly.

"A knowledgeable man, huh" said Gin impressed. "But I wanted to ask, what are your objectives?"

"To travel to the Grand Line and find One Piece!" told Luffy with a grin.

Gin was silent for a moment before saying "Since you are looking for a cook, I take it you haven't that many members yet"

"With him is it 6" said Luffy as he pointed at Sanji.

"Why the hell are you including me!?"

"Listen, you don't look like a bad guy so I will give you this advice" told Gin "Give up on the Grand Line"

Nick, Luffy and Sanji just looked at Gin and Nick asked "Why?"

"Because you guys are still young and there are plenty of seas in the ocean to roam"

"Sounds like you know something about the Grand Line" said Luffy.

"NO!" yelled Gin slightly startling the others "I know nothing of the Grand Line, that is what is so frightening"

"For a member of Krieg's armada do you sure act like a big pansy" said Sanji.

"What's Krieg?" asked Luffy.

"Luffy… I just told you…" told Nick with a sweat-drop.

Sometime later had Nick returned to his table and Sanji had got Gin a boat.

"See you then" said Gin as he boarded the boat. "Are you sure I can't talk you out of going to the Grand Line?"

"I am sure. I know I am going to conquer the Grand Line" said Luffy with confidence.

"Haha… well you are free to do as you like. And Sanji. Thank you for the meal. It was truly the best meal I have ever eaten" told Gin with a smile. "Can I eat here again sometime?"

"Sure, anytime" told Sanji with a smile.

"There are you errand-boy!" yelled a voice from the upper deck. Luffy looked back and saw Zeff on the upper deck.

"Ah! The Geezer!" shouted Luffy.

Zeff looked down and saw the plate Gin had eaten off.

"Damn, now are you getting in trouble because of me" said Gin looking apologetic.

Sanji just grabbed the plate and threw it overboard before saying "Come again? How can I get in trouble if there is no proof?"

Gin let his knees fall to the deck, put his hands down on the floor and bowed his head in thanks.

"Don't get caught again Gin!" said Luffy as he waved him off.

"Sanji! Errand boy! Get back to work!" yelled Zeff.

* * *

Out in the dinner area was Zoro, Usopp, Nami and Nick sitting and enjoying some good food.

"Krieg's armada?" asked Usopp curious.

"Yeah, even though Krieg is only the second most infamous pirate in the East Blue is his crew considered the strongest because of its size of 5000"

"5000!" screamed Usopp before Nami slapped the back of his head.

"Quiet down. We are in the middle of a restaurant" scolded Nami.

Zoro just looked around and something then caught his attention

"Hey, isn't that Luffy?" said Zoro and all of them looked where he was pointing. He was right. Luffy was walking towards them while wearing an apron. Luffy then noticed them and asked "What are you guys doing!?"

"Eating" stated Nick.

"Heard someone has to work for a year here" grinned Usopp.

"Can we repaint the flag?" asked Zoro innocently.

"You leave me to work here…" started Luffy. "…and you just go off eating amazing food all by yourselves!?"

By a nearby table was Sanji standing and filling a glass with wine for a beautiful lady and ignoring her date completely.

"What is that moron up to now? Is that the rest of his crew?" asked Sanji till he noticed someone.

"Take it easy captain. It is a free world here and we can do what we want" stated Zoro as he looked at the others. Luffy used this opportunity to plant a booger in Zoro's glass of water. Usopp, Nami and Nick noticed this but Usopp and Nami stopped Nick from warning Zoro about it.

"But I have to say, the food here is top class. Don't take this the wrong way but…" said Zoro as he was about to take a sip of water. He then quickly got up, grabbed Luffy and forced him to drink his entire glass while yelling "You're drinking this glass!"

Luffy fell back over and squimed on the floor while screaming "Ack, how could you do that!?"

"Isn't that my question!?" roared Zoro. Usopp, Nami and Nick just laughed their asses off.

Suddenly…

"O'Divine seas! How have you blessed me by gracing me with the sight of this beauty?" shouted Sanji as he threw Luffy to the side and ran up to Nami. Zoro and Luffy just looked confused on and Nick looked at Sanji with a sweat-drop.

"For you I am ready to cross the path of any pirates or marine. For you I even will become a demon" declared Sanji to Nami. "But as tragic as it may be, I am stuck in this place till an obstacle is defeated"

"By obstacle do you mean me?" asked a voice. Sanji looked over and saw Zeff.

"Argh! The geezer!"

"Go be a pirate" said Zeff. "I don't need a jackass like you here"

"What the hell do you mean by that?" asked Sanji.

"1. You are too much trouble with the costumers and if they happen to be female, you drool all over them" stated Zeff. "2. You can't cook shit to save someone's life or your own for that matter. You are just unnecessary luggage that lowers the quality of this restaurant. And as you probably know, no of the other cooks even like you. So do everyone a favor and get out of my shop"

Sanji grabbed Zeff's collar and said "If there is one thing I can't take for granted is someone insulting my cooking! So, you old geezer, no matter what you say or do! I! Won't! Leave!"

"Hey brat…" said Zeff.

"How dare you to grab the collar of the Head Chef!" he almost roared before grabbing Sanji and throwing him into the Straw Hats' table. Luckily were they fast and saved the food before Sanji crashed.

"Damn old man! No matter what I will stand by what I said! I! WON'T! LEAVE!"

"Hmph" grunted Zeff before he left. Luffy helped up Sanji and said "Now that you have permission can you be a pira—"

"AS IF!" barked Sanji.

Some minutes later had Sanji put them at a new table and were currently swooning over Nami.

"I apologies about what happen before. As an excuse, please enjoy this fruit Macedonia and a glass of Grand Marnier" said Sanji as he poured her a glass and gave her a glass of fruit.

"Oh, thank you very much!" thanked Nami happily. "You're so nice"

"Oh, it's nothing" said Sanji coolly.

"HEY!" yelled Usopp. "What the hell is this!? We get some tea and you give her a freaking dessert! This is gender discrimination!"

"Shut up you" said Sanji. "Just sit down and enjoy the tea. And you could at least say thanks"

"You wanna go!?" asked Usopp. "Is that it!? I won't go easy on you! Zoro! Nick! Take him down!"

"Do it yourself" said Zoro with a sweat-drop.

Nick looked at Sanji a little while before getting up and walk up to him.

"Hey cook" said Nick.

"What do you want?" asked Sanji as he looked up on the taller guy. Nick looked down on Sanji for a little while till his face became slightly red.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EMBARRASSED!?" asked Sanji loudly.

"Well…" said Nick as he put a hand on the back of his head. "I just wanted to ask if you sold ice cream here"

"Huh? Well yeah, but it is expensive" told Sanji. Nick looked a little disappointed and Nami noticed this.

"Excuse me! Cook-kun!" called Nami and Sanji swirled all the way next to her.

"I would want some ice cream but as you said it is expensive" said Nami as innocently as possible.

"For you, free of charge" told Sanji with a smile. Nami quickly hugged him and said "Oh, Thank you so much! Would it be ok about the rest of my meal too?"

"Of course" said Sanji with a heart replacing his eye. When Nami let go looked Sanji at Usopp and said "But you guys have to pay"

"What!" shouted Usopp.

Sanji ignored him and walked towards the kitchen. Zoro looked at Nami and said "You are a bit of a witch"

"Haha, just watch out that I won't put a spell on you" she jokingly threaten. Luffy sat next to her and drank Usopp's tea.

"Well captain" said Nick as he sat down again. "What are we going to do? We can't wait a whole year here"

"Hmm" murmured Luffy while he sipped some tea. Suddenly got he kicked on top of his head by Sanji, who had a banana split in his hand.

"Hey errand-boy! You don't have time to sit and sip tea!" shouted he angrily. "You have to give the costumers the towels when they enter!"

He then put the split in front of Nami before grabbing Luffy and drags him off to the kitchen. The rest of the group just looked at the scene unfold and their eyes followed Sanji till he entered the kitchen. When he was out of sight took Nami the split and put it in front of Nick.

"Huh?" came from Nick but Nami gestured to keep quiet. Nick realized what she had done for him and whispered "Thank you" before happily eat the ice cream.

* * *

Two days had gone by and all was well. Luffy still worked since he couldn't convince Zeff. Nick had convinced Zeff to halve Luffy's time in exchange that he would work for 6 month. He had experience from the inn his uncle owned and quickly became popular amongst the cooks and costumers. He was in the middle of serving a costumer when he saw it.

"What the hell!"

* * *

**Hi everyone!**

**I know all of you already know what is coming next. Look forward to the war against Krieg! Pun a little funny and intended!**


	5. Chapter 5

"What the hell!" said Nick as he looked out of the window. The customer sitting at the table before Nick looked at him confused before looking out of the window. She dropped her wineglass and began to scream. All other customers' attention turned towards her and then out of the windows. A state of panic spread across the dinner area.

"A skull with an hourglass at each side! That is Don Krieg's ship!" said a customer. By the door to the kitchen stood Patty with a cook called Carne that Nick had become good friends with.

"Look at what you have done, Mr. Big Shot!" shouted Carne. "They are actually here! What are you going to do!? Chase all of them off!?"

"It can't be!" screamed Patty almost. "The Pirate Fleet-Commander that has 5000 men under him actually came all the way here!? Just to avenge one guy!?"

Outside on the Merry was Zoro and Usopp standing and looking at the ship coming towards them. Johnny and Yosaku was lying on the deck, still recovering from their battle with Fullbody. Nami was hiding.

"ZORO!" screamed Usopp. "We got to run!"

"Please Big Bro!" screamed Johnny and Yosaku in chorus. "Set sail! We don't want to die!"

Inside had Sanji, Nick and Luffy gathered in a group.

"Wow!" came from Luffy. "What a huge ship! Could it be that Gin has come to repay his debt?"

"I doubt that but, it is odd with that ship" said Sanji as he looked on.

Nick glared slightly at the ship and made a weak shockwave, basically a really weak breeze, to find out how many people were onboard. As soon as the wave hit the ship resonated something onboard with his power. It was unnoticeable by other people but for Nick felt it like a massive power dragged him through a world of pain and sorrow.

"_What'd just happen?_" thought Nick but said nothing.

Up on the balcony of the Head Chef's room stood Zeff quietly. He then said "That ship… is in shambles…"

He was right. The ship looked like it had barely survived a giant storm and then dropped of a mountain.

"To send a ship that big into that state couldn't have been the work of men" stated Sanji. "It must have been hit by some natural disaster"

Suddenly opened the doors to the dinner area and everyone turned their attention towards the shadows in it. Standing in the doorway was Gin carrying a man that was at least 2m. He had purple hair and wore a massive fur-lined coat. He looked worse for wear and was bandaged around his forehead.

"Please… water… and food…" said the tall man weakly. "If you want money… I got plenty…"

Everyone just stared at the man with unbelief.

"The heck? That weak looking man is Don Kreig?" said Patty as he just stared at the weak man.

"He looked starved" stated Nick.

"What could had happen to them?" asked Sanji.

Suddenly collapsed Kreig and Gin quickly got to his side and shouted "Please help my captain! He needs to eat or he will die!"

Everyone just stared at them like they were lying. Gin couldn't believe his eyes and thought "_Why?_"

"Ahahaha! Perfect! Perfect!" laughed Patty. "Hey, someone call the Marines while he is down!"

"We are paying customers this time!" shouted Gin desperately.

"Doesn't matter! If we give him even moldy bread would he surely attack this restaurant!" stated Patty.

"Yeah, and with all the crimes he has committed deserves he to die!" shouted a customer. People began to shout many things at Gin and his captain. Gin's world was about to fall apart and tears formed in the corners of his eyes. Suddenly raised Krieg himself slightly over the ground and pleaded "Please… I won't attack… I will leave as soon… as I am been fed… I won't touch this place…"

"Don't Don!" shouted Gin in tears. "It is shameful!"

Everyone looked at Krieg, a bit ashamed of themselves and Patty asked "Are you trying to earn sympathy points?"

"Hey Patty…" said Sanji. Patty turned around and received a boot to the face. Sanji then walked up to Gin with a plate of food and said "Give him this"

"Sanji!" said Gin shocked. Krieg quickly grabbed the plate and shouted "Thank you!"

"Sanji!" shouted a cook. "Take back that this instant! Do you know what kind of man he is!?"

"He is the ruler of East Blue! The king of deception! He is called 'Foul Play' Krieg for a reason!" shouted another cook.

"He has up to several times raised the white flag to catch his enemies by surprise! He will do anything to win!" shouted Carne. "And he is strong to boot! Letting a demon like him starve to death is for the good of the world!"

Nick was quiet till he saw Krieg getting up.

"Sanji! Watch out!" shouted Nick but too late. Krieg attacked Sanji with a lariat move and send him flying several meters. Everyone was shocked by what happen. Gin looked at his captain in disbelief and shouted "Don! You promised me that you wouldn't touch this restaurant!"

Krieg didn't even glance at Gin. He just put a hand on Gin's shoulder and said "What a great meal" before breaking Gin's shoulder plate. All the customers ran for the back, out on the ship that got them to the restaurant. Luffy looked shocked on as he shouted "Gin!"

"So, he finally reveals his fangs" stated Sanji simply as blood fell from his chin.

"Nice place you got here" said Krieg. "I'll take it"

Gin laid on the ground and weakly asked "Don… what about your promise…?"

"Oi Gin! Are you okay!?" shouted Luffy.

Krieg look the remaining people over and said "As you probably know is my ship in bad shape so I am in the market for a new one. Once you have done as I have said will you have to get off"

Most of the cooks looked at Krieg with fright as they woke Patty and got him away from his resting place. Sanji and Nick glared lightly at Krieg and Luffy looked at Gin with a worried expression.

"I have about a hundred men aboard and all of them need food and water. Some are starving to death so get off your asses and prepare the rations" told Krieg.

"You're telling me that we shall willingly prepare food and water for a 100 enemies knowing full well that they will attack us afterwards!? We refuse!" yelled Carne.

"Refuse? You seem to have misunderstood… I am not asking. I am ordering! And no one disobeys my orders!" told Krieg with a deadly glare.

Down on the ground squirmed Gin in pain before he said "I am sorry Sanji… it was never my intention for this to happen…"

"Damn it Sanji!" shouted Patty angrily. "Look what your idiotic actions have done! Are you happy now!? Are you!?"

Sanji just looked at Patty with an expression that showed no care before he turned towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going!?" asked Carne.

"To the kitchen" told Sanji as he wiped some blood away from his chin. "We have gotten an order of a hundred people"

"What!" shouted all the cooks, Gin looked at Sanji in disbelief, Krieg smirked and Luffy uttered "Sanji…"

Out of nowhere pointed several guns towards Sanji. It was the rest of the cooks who wanted to do anything to stop him.

"What do you think you are doing?" asked a cook. "If we let you go into that kitchen you will bring out the food for those scums! We can't take any more of your reckless actions and fucked up ideals!"

Sanji glanced around before spreading out his arms and saying "Shoot"

"What!?" asked a cook.

"Shoot… I know who they are. They are assholes that aren't worth a quarter of a dime but to me doesn't that matter… cause choosing who and who don't deserve to be feed is such a hassle"

Sanji then took a drag off his cigarette and said "A cook should be free to feed anyone who's starves. Isn't that why we are here?"

Out of nowhere came Patty and knocked Sanji out.

"Patty!" shouted several cooks.

"Just hold him down!" ordered Patty and two cooks complied. When Sanji was restrained stood Patty in front of him with a big package in hand and said "Sanji… I know that you sometimes feed the guest that I kick out. I truly can't say who is right or wrong most of those times but this time is different. Your actions caused this to happen! So sit tight and shut up! I will protect the restaurant with all I got!"

Patty then began to unpack the package as he said "This place has been hardened by the blood of hundreds of pirates and Krieg stands alone. What will he do against all of us!?"

He then had unpacked it, revealing a bazooka looking like a lobster.

"So if you're done with the main course, how about an iron-rich dessert!" roared Patty as he turned around and fired the bazooka.

"**Indigestion Meatball Cannon!**" he called out and the cannonball flew with haste.

"You Mother—!" was all Krieg got to say before the ball hit him square in the stomach and exploded. Everyone was quiet for a while till Patty said "Damn it. I ruined the door"

"It is ok" assured Carne. "It is just collateral damage from protecting the restaurant"

"What about the underlings?" asked Nick as he stood up a pillar.

"Oh, I think they would be nice spit roasted with a little butter" joked Patty.

"You call that a dessert!?" asked a voice and everyone's heads snapped toward the main entrance. There stood Krieg tall in a golden armor with a shield on each shoulder. His coat had turned into a cape and he had fur-lined gloves on his hands. "What a shitty place this is! That couldn't even pass as an appetizer!"

"What the hell! A golden wootz armor!" said Nick in surprise.

"Damn that man!" shouted Patty as he, Carne and the rest of the cooks charged with either naginatas that looked like knives or tridents that looked like forks. Krieg pulled out two double barreled guns and his armor opened up, revealing 10 more guns aimed at the cooks.

"Fuck off assholes!" roared Krieg as he fired wildly at the cooks. Almost all at once fell the cooks to the floor, bullets penetrating their skin.

"Guns from all over his body!?" shouted Luffy as he and Sanji looked in horror of what happened. Gin just looked down on the ground in shame.

"You worms believe you can hurt me!?" yelled Krieg. "I am the strongest! Look at this steel arm that holds more power than anyone else! Look at this steel body that can survive even the deadliest cannons!"

He then took off a glove and showed a gauntlet made of diamond as he said "And this diamond fist that can punch through any hull! My whole body is built to be the ultimate weapon and I command 50 ships and 5000 men! So if I tell you to do something, you fucking do it! Because I am the strongest!"

Nick stood in the back and held one of the wounded cooks in his arms. He was trembling. Not with fear but with rage. Rage of this arrogant man who believed he could do anything and get away with it. Darkness rose from Nick's body as he slowly turned his head towards Krieg and put the cook down. He slowly got up and as he did turned his scleras black while his pupils started to shine lightly. He walked towards Krieg one step at a time. Sanji noticed Nick and tried to grip on to his shoulder but his hand just passed right through. He looked confused at his hand before looking back at Nick who now stood in front of Krieg.

"What do you want waiter? My order?" taunted Krieg. Nick pupils shrank and darkness cladded his hands, turning them into claws. He swung his right claw at Krieg who blocked it with the back of his hand. Nick then smashed his left claw into Krieg's stomach but the armor wasn't penetrated.

"What are you trying to do, punk!" roared Krieg as he raised his free hand and smashed it into Nick's head. The fist pounded his head so hard that Nick was smashed into the floor, destroying the floorboards. Krieg was about to hit again when a big sack was placed next to Nick. Krieg looked up and there stood Zeff.

"Owner Zeff!" called Carne out.

"Here is enough food for a hundred men. Now hurry to get it to your men" told Zeff.

Krieg just looked at Zeff in shock and said "Red Foot Zeff…"

* * *

**Hi everybody**

**I am sorry about how long this took to write so I just hope that you have enjoyed it. I would love to read what you actually think about Nick so please leave a review.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Red Foot Zeff…" said Krieg as he stared at Zeff. "So you are alive. The peerless captain of a strong crew and the cook of the ship"

"So what if I am? What will you do about it, defeated warrior of the Grand Line?" asked Zeff and everyone was shocked.

"Krieg… was defeated by the Grand Line!?" shouted some of the cooks.

"As you can see live I as a mere cook now, putting my days of piracy behind me" told Zeff.

"An interesting way to put it old man" said Krieg. "Because from my point of view looks it like you didn't do it by choice. Today can you not believe that you can still wear your infamous Red Boots?"

Sanji looked slightly down like he regretted something.

"Red Foot Zeff was a demon. With the use of only his legs could he destroy even the toughest cliffs and leave clear imprints on the hardest steel. The reason why you was called Red Foot is because of your feet would be drenched in the crimson blood of you enemies after a battle. What I heard is that you died in a shipwreck but here you stand with one leg less that is" told Krieg.

"It doesn't matter to me how many legs I have as long as I can cook with my hands. But what is the point of digging up the past?" asked Zeff.

"As a pirate who has ventured into the home of demons, the Grand Line, and returned without injury must you have a log over your travels! So what I am getting at is, give me that log!" said Krieg demanding.

"Oi, is it true old man!?" asked Luffy. "You have been to the Grand Line!?"

"It's true" clarified Zeff. "I did write a log and I have kept it till this day but… I shall not hand it off to the kind of you. That log is the pride of me and my men who ventured through the devil's tides and saw the dawn of a new day through those days in hell. It is of too much value to give someone who only seeks dominance"

"Then I will take it!" shouted Krieg. "I might have returned in defeat from the Grand Line but that doesn't change the fact that I am the mighty Krieg! What I lacked wasn't man power! Nor ambition! It was simply information! My only flaw!"

Krieg then calmed down and said "That is why I will take that log and this ship!"

The cooks just looked at Krieg in anger and Patty said "Like Hell we let you do that!"

"Yeah!" said Carne. "This ship is not only our workplace but also our home!"

"We won't let you get your will!" yelled a cook.

"Shut up!" ordered Krieg and all the cooks recoiled. "The difference in strength between you and I is a clear as night and day! I even proved it a minute ago with this damn waiter."

Krieg then looked down on Nick in belief of his death.

"See! With this power will I rebuild my armada and together with Zeff's log will I conquer the Grand Line and become this era's Pirate King!"

Suddenly stepped Luffy forward and said "Hold your horses. The one who will become Pirate King is no other than me"

The cooks looked surprised by Luffy's words and Carne asked "What did you just say!?"

"Errand boy! Stand down!" ordered Patty but Luffy just replied "Sorry, I can't do that. Especially about this"

"Are you making fun of me?" asked Krieg. "You as the Pirate King? I'll let it slide this once but—"

"You don't have to. I stand by what I said, no matter what" told Luffy.

"This isn't a game" told Krieg.

"Of course" replied Luffy.

"Did you hear that?" asked a voice and everyone looked at a table right from the door. There sat two familiar figures.

"Krieg couldn't make it in the Grand Line and he just took down Nick" said Usopp. "We should give up on going there"

"Shut up" told Zoro. "Plus, who says Nick is down? He is a tough bastard"

The two of them then looked at Luffy and Zoro asked "Need a hand?"

"No, I got this" told Luffy.

Krieg looked at the two people and began to laugh "That is your crew!? What a small bunch of amateurs!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Luffy. "With the guy on the floor have I 5"

"Did you just count me in?" asked Sanji.

"Don't joke around, boy! Do you truly believe that such a small crew can survive on the Grand Line when my crew of 5000 men and 50 ships couldn't survive a week!?"

"A week!" screamed a cook. "What the hell happened to them!?"

"Listen up whelp" said Krieg. "What I hate the most is meaningless boasting and the like but I will let you off easy this time. When I am back from feeding my underlings hope I that you won't be there. Because if you are, then I will kill you like this kid"

Krieg then threw the sack of food over his shoulder and headed out to his ship. Luffy walked up to Nick and began poking his cheek.

"Nick" said Luffy while he poked. Nick didn't react at all.

"He is dead kid" said Patty. "No normal human can survive a punch from a diamond knuckle delivered by Don Krieg"

"Nick!" called Luffy as he poked harder. He then pinched Nick's cheek with all he got and Nick jumped up and shouted "That hurts!"

"He is alive!" screamed the cooks in shock.

Gin just looked at Nick in as much shock as he held his shoulder in pain. He then asked Nick "How did you survive that?"

"Huh? It was just a pinch to the cheek, not something that could kill you" said Nick.

"He means the clash with Krieg" told Zoro as he approached him.

"Clash with Krieg…? Oh yeah! Where is that bastard!" roared Nick as his sclerae turned black once again and darkness bursted from his arms.

"He went to feed his men" told Luffy. Nick about to pursue Krieg but Luffy held him back and said "Sorry, Krieg is mine"

Nick looked at his captain a little while before his eyes turned back to normal. Gin just looked at Nick in shock and asked "What are you?"

"Me? Well I am darkness" told Nick with a half-sinister smile. Gin just looked at him like he had seen a demonic beast but then he broke into light laughter.

"You are darkness! Haha! Compared to what I have seen then you are a shining light to me!" laughed Gin.

"Was it truly that horrifying? The Grand Line?" asked Luffy. Gin's memories resurfaced and he curled up in a ball.

Suddenly could the Straw Hats hear Patty yell "Sanji you bastard! Were you out of your mind or are you trying to overthrow Zeff!?"

They turned around and saw that a lot of the cooks had begun to gang up on Sanji. They would probably have lynched him if it wasn't for Zeff shouting "SHUT UP YOU NUMBSKULLS!"

The cooks looked at their boss as he asked "Have any of you been so hungry that you could die? That you could see your bones under your skin? Do you know how painful it is to be on these seas without the pleasure of food and water?"

"Wh-What do you mean!?" asked Patty.

"If you have the time to cry over spilt milk then you also have the time to leave through the back door" told Zeff.

Many of the cooks looked thoughtful a moment but all grabbed their weapons and said "Fuck that!"

"Like hell that I will just leave without a fight!" shouted Patty. "This place is so much more than our work place! It is our home and temple! And no one is just going to kick us out!"

The cooks cheered loudly and Gin snapped out of his trance by those words.

"Are you crazy!? You have seen the Don's strength! He can't be defeated!" warned Gin. Sanji sat himself on a table and took a drag of his cigarette.

"Gin… let me tell you something. As a cook is my duty to feed the starved. But the ones who are going to attack us is already feed so do not come crying to me when I take their lives. Because if someone plans to take this ship from us then I will take him down without a second thought. Got that?"

Gin just looked at Sanji with fear in his eyes. Over at the table were Zoro and Usopp had appeared sat all the Straw Hats and Luffy said "See. Isn't he the perfect cook for our crew?"

"Do I look like I care about that now!?" screamed Usopp. "If we don't leave now then we are going to die!"

"Calm down" told Zoro. "The enemy is badly wounded. It is not going to be a hard fight"

"That is right. Plus, Krieg isn't as almighty as he believes" told Nick.

"He knocked you out in a punch!" screamed Usopp.

"Oh yeah" said Nick since he had forgotten. "But look at the bright side. I didn't get injured"

"Oh yeah" came from Luffy. He then turned towards Gin and asked "Gin. You have also been on the Grand Line. How come you told me you knew nothing?"

Gin looked at Luffy as if he was in pain and said "What I don't know is what truly happened during those seven days… Was it reality or fantasy…? If it was then it was a true nightmare... I can't believe he could that…"

"Who?" asked Nick.

"The man! The single man who made all 50 ships of Krieg's fall during a single afternoon!"

Everyone was shocked by what Gin just had said and every one said the same thing.

"WHAT!"

"All 50 ships was sunk by a single man!?" asked Nick in a shout. Gin just looked at Nick with tears in his eyes and nodded.

"I can still not believe what happened that day… If it weren't for that storm then I don't believe we would have survived" told Gin. "It is too terrifying to believe that all that were real…! I can't believe it…! Those eyes like a hawks! Killing with a glare! I don't want to believe he exists!"

Zoro was shaken by those words and he quickly said "What!?"

Zeff looked at Gin a little while and then said "I know of this hawk-eyed man and I know what he is capable of"

"What!?" asked everyone as they looked at Zeff.

"You said you witness a man with eyes like a hawk. A pair of eyes that could kill you with a single glare. That doesn't prove that it was him but that he took your entire fleet do so. It must have been Hawk Eyes"

"Hawk Eye…" said Usopp dumbfounded. "Who is that?"

"Who knows" said Luffy.

"I have heard of a Hawk Eyes before but where…?" asked Nick himself.

Zoro leaned in on the table and told "He is who I am searching for. If what Johnny said was right then…"

Suddenly began the cooks to talk about a Red Eyes who apparently got drunk and incinerated himself. Zoro just sat and listen to what they said and thought "_Damn it Johnny! You got the information wrong!_"

"What was that about Johnny?" asked Nick even if he knew what Zoro talked about.

"Nothing" told Zoro in response.

Sanji walked up to Gin and asked "What did you do to him since he destroyed your entire fleet?"

"I don't know. He just attacked us so suddenly" told Gin.

"Maybe you disturbed his nap" said Zeff.

"THAT IS TOTAL CRAP!" roared Gin. "WHAT KIND OF REASON IS THAT!?"

"It was just an example" told Zeff. "That is just the kind of place the Grand Line is"

At the Straw Hats' table said Nick just "Seriously? That sounds like something Zoro would do"

"Shishi! We got to go there!" grinned Luffy.

"Can you think of the dangers for a moment!?" asked Usopp a bit pissed off.

Zoro just leaned back again and said "Well it seems like my own journey would eventually go there anyway since that man is there"

Nick just smiled and said "I don't care if we are going to hell or heaven. I have sworn to protect all of you till you have reached your goals"

Sanji just looked at the group before he said "What a bunch of morons… You guys are the types who rush to their demises"

"Maybe so" began Zoro. "But since I began to pursue the title of World's Greatest Swordsman then I threw away my attachment to life. The only one who has the right to call me moron is me"

"Me too, me too" said Luffy.

"Luffy… you are a moron in everyone's eyes" told Nick.

"…what a bunch of bullshit..." mumbled Sanji. Zeff just looked at Sanji with a small smile till Patty yelled "This isn't the time to get all buddy-buddy with each other! The galleon outside is Don Krieg's and he got a 100 pirates ready to slice our asses up! So get up and get ready for battle!"

Suddenly could all hear the noises of the pirates outside and all the cooks got ready for battle. The pirates were just about to board the ship when suddenly…

**SLASH!**

The entire galleon was cut in three pieces and off in the distance approached a man carrying a black cross on his back.

* * *

**Damn! The Dragon with the Hawk's eyes and the Black fang is approaching!**

**Hi everyone.**

**As you know, Dracule Mihawk is on his way in the next chapter and he will face the Straw Hats like a demonical… no… Archdemonical boss! The reason I called him the Dragon is because Dracule sounds similar to Dracul which means Dragon. On an almost interesting side note, Dracula that Dracule is probably based off means Son of the Dragon.**


	7. Chapter 7

Everyone were almost shitting themselves at that sight. A giant galleon had been cut to pieces by an unknown attacker. Everyone was in a state of shock and Usopp actually cried a little.

"W-WHAT DID JUST HAPPEN!?" shouted Krieg shocked by what just happened.

"DON KRIEG!" called out a pirate. "OUR SHIP! IT HAS BEEN CUT!"

"WHAT! HOW CAN A HUGE GALLEON LIKE THIS BE CUT!?" shouted Krieg. "THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!"

Inside the Baratie was everyone running around.

"Merry is right next to that ship!" screamed Usopp. Upon that realization leapt all the Straw Hats into action to save their ship, but once they got outside were their ship nowhere in sight and in the water splashed Johnny and Yosaku around.

"Johnny! Yosaku!" called Luffy out. "Where is the ship and where is Nami!?"

"Big Bros!" called Johnny. Yosaku then said "We are sorry! Big Sis Nami has stolen the treasure and ship!"

"WHAT!" shouted Usopp, Luffy, Nick and Zoro in shock! Nami had stolen the Merry!

Zeff ran out on deck and noticed a shadow approaching in the waterhaze.

"That is…" said Zeff as he realized who the shadow was.

With the Straw Hats asked they how it could happen.

"She said she would change her clothes and—" explained Johnny till Nick cut him off with "Change her clothes? What does this has to do with anything?"

"Well she asked us to turn around and—" explained Yosaku till Nick again cut off with "Why were you in her room?"

"It wasn't in her room but out on deck" told the two of them.

"Idiots! She wanted you not to look so she could throw you overboard!" roared Zoro. "Who the hell change clothes in the middle of the deck!?"

"OH!" said the two idiots realizing.

"Damn that witch!" yelled Usopp. "She stole Merry from us!"

"She acted so nice lately that I put down my guard and look what happen!" shouted Zoro.

"Hey guys!" said Nick as he looked over the horizon. "I can still see Merry!"

"What!" said everyone else as they looked in the same direction. They could clearly see the Merry sail in the distance.

"Johnny! Yosaku! Where are your ship!?" asked Luffy.

"Wha… over there" said the two of them.

"Forget it Luffy. She is as good as gone now" told Zoro.

"We can't leave Merry in her hands!?" told Usopp.

Luffy faced his crew and told them "I am not only going there to get our ship back but also our navigator"

Zoro, Nick and Usopp looked at their captain a little while before Zoro stated "What an idiot captain we have gotten"

"Yeah, but it is a captain's order so there is nothing to do about it" said Nick with a smile. Zoro sighed and said "Come on Usopp"

"Right" said Usopp as he was about to follow Zoro. He then stopped up before Nick and Luffy and asked "What of you two?"

"We have to pay our captain's debt here" told Nick. Zoro and Usopp was just about to leave when a pirate screamed "IT'S HIM! IT IS HIM WHO SUNK OUR FLEET"

Everyone looked and Krieg muttered "Bastard"

Zoro just looked at the shadow with fear in his eyes as he thought "_It is him. The hawk-eyed man_"

Nick looked at the shadow too and recognized him as "Hawk Eyed… Mihawk…"

He was right. Sailing a small ship in the shape of a coffin was no one other than Dracule Mihawk, the world greatest swordsman. All the pirates looked at him like he was the angel of death, sent to this earth to reap their souls.

"D-Damn you!" shouted a pirate. "What have we done to you!?"

Mihawk glanced at him and said "I just needed to kill some time"

The pirate snapped. He pulled two guns and fired them while shouting "Bullshit!"

The bullets flew fast but in the blink of an eye had Mihawk drawn his Zanbatō and deflected the bullets with the tip of the sword.

"Wh-What just happened…?" asked the pirate surprised.

"It missed…?" asked another pirate.

"It didn't miss. He deflected them with the tip" said Zoro who had appeared behind the pirates.

"Who are you bastard!?" shouted a pirate surprised but Zoro ignored him and said "Never have I seen a blade with so much grace"

Mihawk sheathed his sword again and told Zoro "No strong blade is without grace"

"Did you cut this ship with that sword?" asked Zoro.

"Yes indeed"

Zoro sweated lightly as he said "You really are the strongest"

A pirate then noticed Zoro's three swords and said "Could he be…"

Zoro untied his bandana from his left bicep as he told Mihawk "I have journeyed the seas to find you"

"…for what purpose?" asked Mihawk.

"To be the best" told Zoro with a smirk, all doubt in his eyes gone.

Back on the Baratie stood Usopp, trying to get them to pursue the Merry.

"Let's go guys! We have almost lost sight of the ship!"

Luffy and Nick stood unmoving on the spot, not wanting to look away. Would a dream be fulfilled?

"Weakling…" said Mihawk simply and in that moment felt Nick a strength like never before. This man exceeded a demon like Nick easily. He was just about to step in to give Zoro a hand or at least makes sure he can disappear, but Luffy stopped him and said "Don't!"

Mihawk stepped out of his ship and walked up on the platform Zoro stood on and while he did asked he "If you are a competent swordsman then you should be able to figure out the difference in strength without us having to cross blades. But still dare you to challenge me. I wonder if it is your conviction that is behind this… or ignorance"

"It is ambition and an old promise" told Zoro as he place a sword in his mouth and drew the two others.

Meanwhile on the Merry stood Nami by the figurehead and cried while whispering " Guys… please forgive me someday"

Back at the Baratie could all only but stare. A clash between the Pirate Hunter and the World's Strongest Swordsman was about to commence. Everyone was whispering among themselves as Zoro glared at Mihawk as he asked "What are you going to go with that?"

Mihawk had drawn a small knife out of the cross around his neck. He held it out as he answered with "Never exhaust yourself when you hunt mere rabbits. In this sea are you renowned but it is still the East Blue, the weakest of the four seas divided by the Red Line and the Grand Line. Unfortunately, I do not have a smaller blade"

"You bastard…!" said Zoro with a glare. He stormed forward as he yelled "You better not regret it on the other side!"

Mihawk only glanced at Zoro's charge and said "Little frog in the well… This world is much bigger than what you can see from down there…"

Zoro was closing in as he took the stance of the Demon and roared "**ONI!**"

"**GIRI!**" shouted Zoro as he slashed out but in an instance had Mihawk blocked all three blades with the tip of his knife. Everyone looked shocked on and the Straw Hats were almost traumatized by that sight.

"Zoro!" called Luffy out. Nick just looked with mouth agape in surprise. Johnny and Yosaku looked more shocked than anyone else and shouted "Impossible! Big Bro's signature attack, the Oni Giri, was stopped with a mere knife!"

Zoro tried to break the knife with brute force but it didn't even bend. He could only look helplessly as his three swords were held back by a meek knife.

"_What did just happen…? All of them were blocked by one knife… ONE!_"

Zoro quickly took a step back and continued his assault but Mihawk easily blocked and dodged all attempts to hit him. Suddenly jabbed Mihawk Zoro in the chest but it was with so much force that he fell backwards.

"_Why!?_" thought Zoro as he got up again. "_Why is the difference so great!?_"

He charged in again but the result was the same. Mihawk treated him like a child in this fight and Zoro was at his edge.

"Why do you desire strength…? Weakling" asked Mihawk cold and Johnny and Yosaku snapped.

"How dare you to call him that!" roared Johnny.

"We will cut you up!" roared Yosaku as the two of them was about to leap into the fight. Luffy noticed this and quickly held them down.

"Let go of us Bro!" shouted Yosaku but Luffy held them down and said "Stay put"

Usopp looked at Luffy with slight surprise as he said "Luffy…?"

What no one noticed was that Nick was trembling lightly. He held his head with a hand in frustration since he couldn't do anything for Zoro than just watch. A little haze of darkness escaped the edge of his mouth and his eyes shined lightly crimson. He was on the verge of going berserk!

Zoro was sent flying with a light slash of Mihawk's knife and rolled a little backwards before leaping forward, taking the stance of the Tiger.

"**TORA!**" called Zoro out as several images flew through his head.

"_World's Greatest Swordsman! Sounds awesome!" told Luffy with a wide smile. "If you are going to be a shipmate of the Pirate King then you should at least aim for that much! Otherwise I'd be embarrassed of you!"_

"**GARI!**" roared Zoro as he slashed out.

**Thunk!**

Everyone looked with wide eyes. Johnny and Yosaku was about to scream, Luffy had his mouth wide open, Usopp was scarred shitless and Nick's pupils shrank in horror. Mihawk had stabbed Zoro in the chest. The blood trickled down Zoro's shirt but he didn't step back. The blade was closing in on his heart but he didn't step back. Mihawk sank it further in but he didn't step back.

"Do you want me to penetrate you heart?" asked Mihawk. "Why don't you step back?"

Zoro clenched his teeth on the sword in his mouth and said "I don't know. I just have the feeling that if I step back now then I will never return here. Something precious to me, a promise or oath or whatever, would be broken to never be repaired. And then I would never stand before you again"

"Yes" said Mihawk. "Such is defeat"

"Then I rather die!" told Zoro confident, the conviction bursting out of his eyes. Mihawk beheld this young man who held his ambitions higher than his life and removed the knife from his chest as he asked "What is your name?"

"Roronoa Zoro!" told Zoro as he took the stance of the Worlds.

"I shall remember it because your strength is not seen in this world often" told Mihawk as he drew the massive blade on his back. He held it out and said "And to honor you as a fellow swordsman will I end this duel with my Kokutou*, the world's strongest blade"

For the first time charged Mihawk against Zoro with the intention to end it now. Zoro began to spin the blades in his hands at such speed that a light wind was created. He called out "**Santoryu Ougi!**" before he charged Mihawk with all his strength.

"**Sansen Sekai!**" called Zoro out as he attacked. In a flash were it over and the swords in Zoro's hands shattered like they were made of glass. Zoro looked at his shattered blades and thought "_This is the strength of the Strongest_" before sheathing his last sword. He then got up and held out his arms, ready to take another attack.

"What's this?" asked Mihawk surprised.

Zoro just smirked and said "A scar on the back is a swordsman's shame"

"Well said!" told Mihawk before swinging his blade across Zoro's torso.

"ZORO!" called Luffy out as he fell into the ocean. Johnny and Yosaku quickly jumped in the ocean to save him and Usopp went for the boat to sail it over and Luffy was about to attack Mihawk when he felt the air around him tremble. He looked back and saw Nick, his sclera black and he wore a face of fury.

* * *

**Nick has gone berserk! Everybody run!**

**Hi everybody and welcome to my story.**

**I have a small problem with describing Zoro's stances so I will from now on refer to them to their names like…**

**Tora Gari will be referred to the stance of the Tiger since it means Tiger Hunt.**

**Sansen Sekai will be referred to the stance of the Worlds since it means Three Thousand Worlds.**

**And Oni Giri will be referred to as the stance of the Demon since it means Demon Slash.**

**I hope you will look forward to the clash between the Demonic Darkborn and the Undefeated Hawk-Eyes. See you next time.**


	8. Hiatus

I am sorry to announce that this story has been set on Hiatus. I am in the middle of writers block with this story and so can't continue it for some time since I also have gotten a new idea. I have also started school up again after been free from it for a year so I am swamped with homework and such. I will write on the new story and concentrate on it for some time so if I put it up here then take a look. It is a One Piece X Persona 4 crossover so keep an eye out for it. See you in another story :)


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